BMW 420 reliability, MOT pass rate and rarity

Time Period & Model

Time period snapshot: Last 5 years

Manufacturer: BMW

Model: 420

Model reliability rank

MOT-based rank from 366,963 selected-period tests.

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Overall MOT pass rate

86.0%

Share of this model's 366,963 selected-period MOT tests that pass.

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Efficiency, emissions & tax

Average MPG

CO2 emission

Euro emissions

Tax cost

£205/yr

Vehicle list price over £40,000?NoYes

Average vehicle miles

77,357

Moderate average mileage in the current pool.

Life expectancy miles

92,632

Lower mature-fleet mileage expectation.

Average vehicle age

8.6

Average age sits in the mid-fleet band.

Vehicles represented

59,574

59,574 valid MOT, 0 under 3 years.

Tests analysed

366,963

366,963 MOT tests in the selected period.

Rarity ranking

Based on Make & Model

Uncommon

59,574On the road

Insight summary

BMW 420 is an uncommon model in this snapshot, with 59,574 represented vehicles and 0.14% of the active UK pool tracked by AutoRank. For the last 5 years, it has a pass rate of 86.0% from 366,963 MOT tests, with a reliability score of 58. The current pool shows an average of 77,357 miles and an average age of 8.6 years, while mature-fleet mileage is estimated at 92,632 miles. Diesel leads the fuel split, followed by petrol, and the most frequent defect themes are windscreen damage, tyre condition and brake pads. The practical read is that the BMW 420 looks a little better than average, but still rewards careful checks on mileage and maintenance.

Fuel type breakdown (by model)

Fuel	Vehicles
DIESEL	39,814
PETROL	19,758
ELECTRIC DIESEL	2

Euro NCAP Safety

No NCAP tests found for this model.

Top 25 most common defects (by model)

Defect	Count
Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))	3,956
Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	3,311
Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	2,833
Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))	1,906
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))	1,866
Nearside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))	1,814
Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))	1,614
Offside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))	1,602
Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))	1,479
Tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative (5.2.3 (h))	1,281
Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	1,227
Nearside Front Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii))	1,199
Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	1,184
Nearside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))	1,108
Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))	1,100
Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))	1,063
Offside Front Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii))	1,030
Offside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))	1,005
Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))	978
Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	978
Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	897
Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	842
Horn not working (7.7 (a))	828
Front Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))	782
Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))	776

All 25 defects ranked by recorded countShowing 36,659 defects across this top 25 set

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

3,956

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

3,311

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

2,833

Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

1,906

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

1,866

Nearside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

1,814

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

1,614

Offside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

1,602

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

1,479

Tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative (5.2.3 (h))

1,281

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

1,227

Nearside Front Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

1,199

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

1,184

Nearside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

1,108

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

1,100

Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

1,063

Offside Front Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

1,030

Offside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

1,005

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

978

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

978

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

897

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

842

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

828

Front Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))

782

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

776

BMW 420 reliability and MOT data